


The Eternal Wait

by prettybirdy979



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Angst, BAMF Mrs. Hudson, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-23
Updated: 2013-07-23
Packaged: 2017-12-21 03:19:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/895175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prettybirdy979/pseuds/prettybirdy979
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sherlock doesn't have a case. Mrs Hudson does have a visitor. Things go badly after that.</p><p>
  <i>Kyle pulled a gun. Sherlock didn’t even flinch even as Martha gasped. </i>
</p><p>
  <i>‘No comments from you.’ Kyle said. </i>
</p><p>
  <i>‘Wouldn’t dream of it.’ Sherlock said and lunged. </i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Eternal Wait

**Author's Note:**

> For Dreambrother89 who won one of my auction fics for the Dash Con auction. Not revealing the prompt but I hope I filled it!
> 
> Thanks to tiltedsyllogism for the beta!

The door slammed.

Sherlock sighed. John was so boring when he was being predictable. His trip out would last about two hours and fifty one minutes, approximately the time it normally takes him to go to his pub and have a single pint before returning to sigh at Sherlock for an apology he was never to receive.

He rolled over in protest at the simplicity of the deduction and the lack of another one to make. Why did the interesting criminals of Lo-

Raised voices from downstairs broke into his thoughts. Frowning, he sat up, closing his eyes to enhance his hearing. Mrs Hudson was one voice and the other was an older male, extremely agitated and demanding.

Pulling his robe tightly around himself, Sherlock made his way downstairs.

********

‘Just tell me where he stashed it!’ Kyle demanded, waving his arms around like that would help make her tell him where her husband had supposedly hidden his millions.

Martha resisted the temptation to roll her eyes. Kyle was such a lovely young man when she invited him over, the spitting image of his father who had helped her husband. He was also executed later, of course. Perhaps that should have warned her but she had always had a soft spot for second chances. Like Sherlock, bless the boy.

My husband didn’t hide anything.’ She said calmly. ‘He was a clever man, my Howard, but not one to plan for the future.’

‘I know there’s money, I have evidence. Just tell me where to look and I’ll go nice and quiet.’

‘Mrs Hudson?’ A deep voice asked from the doorway and Sherlock walked in the open door, dressing gown pulled tight. His curious look turned cold and hard at the sight of Kyle.

‘Mr Holmes.’ Kyle said neutrally. ‘We’re sorry if we disturbed you. I was just talking with Martha abo-’

‘Money. Don’t try and fool me.’ Sherlock cut in. ‘I’m perfectly capable of hearing raised voices.’

Kyle pulled a gun. Sherlock didn’t even flinch even as Martha gasped.

‘No comments from you.’ Kyle said.

‘Wouldn’t dream of it.’ Sherlock said and lunged. The gun fired but Sherlock’s shoulder still had him hit Kyle full on, knocking his head into Martha’s dining table. He landed on the floor and didn’t move, a motionless Sherlock on top of him.

Martha froze for a moment, then Sherlock groaned and she dropped to his side. Carefully she managed to roll him onto his back, which also had the advantage of getting him off Kyle.

‘Sherlock! Oh God, Sherlock.’ He had been shot, his dressing gown and pajamas doing nothing to hide the growing bloodstain on his side.

‘Mrs...Hudson...’ He managed to get out before she hushed him.

‘It’s going to be fine.’ He blinked confused and pain filled eyes at her but didn’t move or say anything and she counted it as a victory.

Martha felt herself begin to panic but she fought it down, standing and grabbing for the coat Kyle had hung up as he had entered. She put it on what she could see of the wound, pushing down with all her might and not flinching when her hands became covered in blood. Martha felt a tear run down her face and ignored it because no matter how much she wanted to cry, it wasn’t going to help Sherlock.

‘John?’ Sherlock asked and her blood ran cold as she realised she hadn’t called for help.

‘He’s coming.’ Martha lied, her eyes now on the phone on her dining room table. She was going to have to stop helping Sherlock to get him more help.

He groaned once again and her mind was made up. She pushed the coat against him as hard as possible, then stood up and grabbed for her phone. She dialed John’s number from memory. Beside her, Kyle groaned and something dark in her made her kick him hard.

 _‘What’s he done now?’_ John said curtly.

‘Oh!’ She said, a touch of her contained terror coming out as she returned to her place at Sherlock’s side. ‘He’s-’

_‘Are you okay? You’re not hurt are you?’_

‘No, he’s-’

_‘I can’t believe he’s taking it out on you, just-’_

Martha found her temper snap at John’s constant interruptions. ‘He’s been shot!’ She yelled then choked back a sob as she realised what she had said.

John was in full solider mode. _‘Is the shooter still there?’_

She nodded until it dawned on her he couldn’t see her and answered verbally. ‘Yes. Sherlock knocked him out.’

She dropped the phone, noticed the button Sherlock had told her was for ‘speaker’ and pressed it as John finished. ‘ _-calling an ambulance now. Are you there?’_

‘I’m so sorry John. I dropped the phone.’ Martha returned her hands to Sherlock side, relieved beyond describing that he was still breathing.

_‘I’m with a police officer, he’s called the police and an ambulance. They’ll be there in a few minutes.’_

Sherlock groaned again and she heard John take in a deep breath. _‘How is he?’_

‘I don’t know.’ Martha whispered. ‘Sherlock, don’t you dare die!’ She pleaded. Sherlock didn’t react and her heart skipped a beat. ‘How much longer?’ She asked.

 _‘Not long. A few minutes.’_ John’s voice was tight, like he was running. _‘How are you?’_

‘Oh I’m fine, you don’t need to worry about me.’ She said, ignoring how her hands were beginning to shake and everything was feeling cold to her. ‘Are they coming?’

_‘It’s only been a minute since I called them...’_

She blinked in confusion sure it had been longer, then ran a hand over Sherlock’s forehead. She ignored how that left a streak of blood and took comfort in the continued huffing breaths. Sherlock’s eyes flickered open.

‘Mrs-’

‘Shh.’ Martha said, blinking back a tear at his confused and pain filled eyes. ‘Help is coming.’

‘John.’ Sherlock muttered and closed his eyes again.

‘How much longer John?’ She asked as a sniff came over the phone and she remembered that John was hearing everything that was being said.

‘ _Minutes._ ’ He said softly. _‘I’m on my way to the hospital, I’ll meet you there.’_

The unspoken reassurance in that statement, that Sherlock would make it to the hospital, made her gasp in relief. ‘Are you hanging up?’

_‘Never.’_

Kyle groaned again and it took all she had not to scream at him. Or kick him, but that would mean moving. It occurred to her that he might be waking up but after a moment he had made no further noises and she relaxed.

_‘Mrs Hudson?’_

‘It’s fine John. Are they any closer?’

His tone was doubtful but he didn’t argue. ‘ _I don’t know. They said five minutes and it’s barely been four.’_

She opened her mouth to argue that it had surely been longer than that - twenty minutes had passed at least - but a look at her clock confirmed Sherlock had been shot only ten minutes ago.

Then there was a banging on her door and finally voices called from outside. ‘Ambulance.’

‘It’s open.’ She cried, glad for the first time that John always forgot to lock the door when he stormed out. 'They're here.' She said to John and hung up.

Martha leant over Sherlock and kissed his forehead as her door opened and they came in. ‘You will be okay.’ She whispered. It was half a promise and half a plea.


End file.
